Elen Levon is following up her debut smash single “Naughty” with another slice of dance pop, “Like a Girl (In Love).”
While the single doesn’t hit iTunes until March 2 it’s already generating buzz with a film clip release and some airplay. It’s not going to change the world, but it can certainly go toe to toe with the Rihanna and Beyonce songs that burn up the charts. It’s also refreshing to hear this teen star singing something a little more age appropriate. But would it kill her to put on some pants for the film clip?
The release of “Like a Girl (In Love)” is well timed following Elen’s recent appearance at Beijing’s Gala World Music Festival last month. Could she be our next global superstar?
The Go Set hearkens back to the glory days of punk music, a time when this music was truly rebellious and infused with a social conscience. To celebrate the release of their fifth album next month, also titled The Go Set, the Victorian quintet are hitting the road.
The album features the new single “Drums of Chelsea,” a raucous number which is sure to explode on the stage. If you’ve never experienced a Go Set show before this is your chance, as they’re playing pretty much everywhere!
24 February 2012 – Crown and Anchor, Adelaide
25 February 2012 – National Hotel, Geelong
3 March 2012 – Boolarra Festival, La Trobe Valley
9 March 2012 – Brisbane Hotel, Hobart
10 March 2012 – St Mary’s Hotel, St Marys
11 March 2012 – Bridge Hotel, Forth
15 March 2012 – Clancys, Fremantle
16 March 2012 – Indi Bar, Perth
17 March 2012 – Nukara Festival, Geraldton
18 March 2012 – St Patricks Festival @ Hyde Park, Sydney
6 & 8 April 2012 – National Folk Festival, Canberra
11 April 2012 – Railway Hotel, Byron Bay
12 April 2012 – The Beergarden, Surfers Paradise
13 April 2012 – Kings Beach Tavern, Caloundra
14 April 2012 – Prince of Wales, Brisbane
20 April 2012 – Southern Cross Club, Canberra
21 April 2012 – Sando, Sydney
4 May 2012 – The Espy, Melbourne
Irish-influenced Sydney band The Rumjacks are the first to join ABC Music’s latest label, FOUR | FOUR.
The Rumjacks take their cues from Celtic traditions but layer those classical sounds with punk rock, reggae, and even a bit of gypsy swing. They’ve been plugging away under the radar since 2008, but the signing with ABC’s latest label should introduce them to a whole new audience.
“In essence, FOUR | FOUR represents music that, at its core, is as simple as a 4/4 time signature,” explained ABC Music head Robert Pattinson. “It’s music that moves people in a fundamental way. The imprint’s first signing, The Rumjacks, typifies what FOUR | FOUR is all about – honest music making with a no-nonsense directness and immediacy that connects with the listener from the first moment.”
The Rumjacks’ new single “Crosses for Eyes” gives us a taste of what’s to come on their first FOUR | FOUR album release. If you want to hear even more you can catch the band on their annual St Patrick’s Day tour next month.
15 March 2012 – The Joynt, Brisbane
16 March 2012 – Baroque Bar, Katoomba
17 March 2012 – The Sandringham Hotel, Newtown
18 March 2012 – Cherry Bar, Melbourne
“Villages,” the debut single from Gold Coast rockers Fairchild Republic, is one of those songs that creeps underneath your skin, staying put long after it’s over. The band leaked it to Rage late last year, and it made such an impression that it ended up in the music program’s top 50 clips of the year.
And it wasn’t even released yet.
So we can expect even bigger things now that the epic “Villages” is officially dropping. It should whip us all into a frenzy before Fairchild Republic’s debut album hits record store shelves in the middle of the year. That frenzy whipping will kick off later this month when Fairchild Republic embark on an east coast tour to support the single’s release. Be there so you can say you saw them before they made it big!
23 February 2012 – Oh Hello, Brisbane (supporting Cub Scouts and Pluto Jonze)
24 February 2012 – Runaway Bay Tavern, Gold Coast (supporting Cub Scouts and Pluto Jonze)
29 February 2012 – Neverland, Gold Coast (supporting Neon Indian)
3 March 2012 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
It’s Valentine’s Day. Yes it’s a Hallmark holiday, and it was a day I used to loathe as a single teen so desperate to be in love. But as a happily married adult, I think there’s something pretty sweet about a day designed to celebrate love.
My husband and I don’t make a big deal about Valentine’s Day. We buy a joint gift every year, a Wii game or a cookbook, something that will encourage us to spend some extra time together. Sometimes we eat out but with it falling mid-week I’m on cooking duty this year. Add a nice bottle of wine and you’ve got the recipe for a pretty special night in, Valentine’s Day or not.
And there’s likely to be music. I’m not sure whether it’ll make its way to the stereo tonight, but with love in the air I thought I’d post “Into My Arms” by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. It’s one of those very honest love songs that doesn’t resort to cheesy lines or clichés. Whether you’re in love or still waiting for that special person, enjoy! And to my own darling boy, happy Valentine’s day!
After five years of hiding behind the name Phatchance, Sydney hip hop act Chance Waters is ditching the moniker. It’s only fitting that Chance is performing under his own name now, because his new single “Infinity” is one of the most honest urban tracks I’ve heard in some time.
The song is so beautiful, with lush strings and some incredibly moving lyrics. Make sure you listen to those words to really appreciate what “Infinity” is all about. The tune, which drops today, comes from the forthcoming album of the same name.
Former Kid Confucius drummer Bart Denaro has moved on with his brand new outfit Briscoe. The Sydney-based six-piece are giving us a taste of their sound with the cruisy new single “Animal.”
The track doesn’t officially drop until February 16, but this film clip lets us listen to it early. It’s a gorgeous slow-burning number which is perfect for post-hangover Sundays. And there’s a cat in it, which we all know makes any internet video much cooler. “Animal” is the first cut to come from Briscoe’s debut album Friends Ago, which will hit stores in May.
If you like what you hear you can catch Briscoe on their single launch tour, which kicks off in their home town this week. See them at the following East Coast venues this month and the next.
16 February 2012 – GoodGod Small Club, Sydney (with The Ray Mann Three)
18 February 2012 – Phoenix Bar, Canberra (with Waterford and Tales In Space)
3 March 2012 – The Great Northern, Newcastle (with The Fearless Vampire Killers and The Owls)
It’s been a long time coming, but Dallas Frasca is almost ready to release her sophomore album Sound Painter.
I remember being blown away by Dallas when I saw her play at a Hunter Valley blues festival way back in 2008, and I’m thrilled to see the years haven’t mellowed her though. There’s a bit more polish to her raspy sound though, which may have come from working with acclaimed producer Andy Baldwin in New York.
Whatever it is, I’m impressed by our first taste of the album, the new single “All My Love.” It sounds great and the film clip looks much better than I’d expect for her $2.49 budget!
Andy Baldwin hasn’t polished all the edges from Dallas though. She chose to record the album with no click tracks to keep it raw and honest, with the sort of spontaneous sound that comes from a live performance. She worked with her band to smash out eleven songs in just seven days, with most numbers captured in their first or second take.
What you see is what you get with Dallas Frasca. If you want to see more of her make sure you catch her on her All My Love tour, which starts tomorrow in Adelaide. Her new album Sound Painter hits stores on April 1.
11 February 2012 – Jive, Adelaide
18 February 2012 – Cool Summer Fest, Mount Hotham
2 March 2012 – Basement 243, Brisbane
3 March 2012 – Joe’s Waterhole, Eumundi
9 March 2012 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
10 March 2012 – Trackside Festival, Wangaratta
11 March 2012 – Lake Mountain Festival, Marysville
18 March 2012 – Raw Festival, Mount Eliza
23 March 2012 – Junkyard, Maitland
24 March 2012 – The Square, Sydney
5-6 April 2012 – Bluesfest, Byron Bay
22 April 2012 – Apollo Bay Music Festival, Apollo Bay
With a brand new single “Sword to a Gunfight” burning up the airwaves, it seems the perfect time for Children Collide to announce another tour.
The single has a unique sound for the band, which frontman Johnny Mackay shed some light on.
“I was paddling down the river somewhere between Primal Scream & Boney M and ended up falling out of the boat into a time-travelling disco space-punk song which I still think is hilarious,” he explained. Well that clears that up!
The shows will give fans a sneak peek at Children Collide’s new album, Monument, which will hit stores in April. The single builds on the band’s post-punk roots and develops them into something the band has dubbed an “aural theme park.”
“There’s one or two ghost trains, a few rollercoasters and even a couple of tea-cup rides. It’s always hard to describe these things from the inside but the sound and production feels very here and now to me”
Tickets go on sale tomorrow from the venues for the upcoming shows.
9 March 2012 – Ferntree Gully Hotel, Ferntree Gully
10 March 2012 – Pelly Bar, Frankston
11 March 2012 – Breath of Life, Launceston
15 March 2012 – Hotel Great Northern, Byron Bay
16 March 2012 – Elsewhere Bar, Gold Coast
17 March 2012 – The Zoo, Brisbane
21 March 2012 – The Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour
22 March 2012 – The Cambridge, Newcastle
23 March 2012 – The Patch, Wollongong
24 March 2012 – The Metro Theatre, Sydney
29 March 2012 – The Gov, Adelaide
30 March 2012 – Capitol, Perth
31 March 2012 – Players Bar, Mandurah
1 April 2012 – Mojos, Fremantle
12 April 2012 – Karova Lounge, Ballarat
13 April 2012 – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne
We’ve all heard of those new age restaurants that ask diners to pay what they think their meal is worth. Now Brisbane electronica act Arundel is encouraging us to do the same with his music.
Arundel is so excited to release his second EP Olive Caves, he wants as many people to hear it as possible. So he’s inviting us to download it from his Bandcamp website. Consequently we can enjoy the music for free or choose to donate some money to fund additional projects if we’re so moved.
“Essentially, the collaborators and I make music for people like you to hear, and we don’t want anything to get in the way of that,” Arundel explained.
I particularly like the lead track “A Deep Freeze,” but there’s a lot to appreciate about this EP. It redefines what I think of as electronica with its rock influences and lyrical content, and that alone makes it worth a listen.
